SAN SEBASTIAN, SPAIN

SAN SEBASTIAN...

With only a few days to enjoy some sun and sea, we choose San Sebastian on Spain's North coast.

Playa de la Concha.

San Sebastian, Spain.

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San Seb is historically a fishing village - which means the foreshore is packed with awesome seafood restaurants, with all sorts of delicious morsels from the deep. Recently, the town has seen the tourist industry take off, but the fisherman still go out every day and repair their nets in the afternoons.


Tapas and Sangria - a winning combo... our first night started out innocently enough in one of San Sebastian's many tapas bars...

But, as luck would have it, the local girls took a real shine to Dane - and ended up treating us to a great night out - plenty of Sangria flowing! Love the local tips too, they taught us how to haggle in Spanish at the night markets on the way home, ensuring plenty of bargains along the way...

These Spanish girls definitely knew how to party...

Next morning, only tiny, but we got a couple of waves to freshen up...

BIG statue of JC up on the hill - enjoying the views...

There's an old cable car in the town which we took to the top of the surrounding mountains. Expecting a lookout, we were a little surprised to find a fun park, with horsie rides, haunted house, laughing clowns and plenty of chances to win oversized stuffed fluffy animals. But the views were definitely worth it...

More incredible views around the headlands...

On our last night we wandered down to the foreshore, and were just a tiny but surprised to find thousands of people all in party mode - dressed up and all over the beach and streets. Turns out the San Sebastian Festival was on while we were there - sweet!

This was nuts. Festival guys had rigged up a two man paper-mache bull, and strapped fireworks to the thing. Panic unfolded as they ran through the crowd, rocketing flares at innocent bystanders...

Its supposed to be an imitation of Pamplona's 'Running of the Bulls' - except, of course, the bulls are fake and there are fire crackers!

A crazy, beautiful place.

HEATHROW

A HEATHROW NIGHTMARE...

This is the scene that greeted us as we rocked up to Heathrow with bags packed, ready to fly off to Spain for some much needed summer sun, sand and surf. A false start though - this is Heathrow - in pure chaos. Turns out that the morning we were due to fly, was the day of the terrorist scare - with plans uncovered to blow-up 20 planes flying out of Heathrow heading for the US. Heathrow shut down and we waited all day to learn that our flights had been cancelled. Very surreal to be in the airport and see the live BBC news covering the scene as its unfolding right in front of us.

After some hasty last minute re-booking, we managed to get flights out the next day from a different airport, still hell-bent on getting over to Spain. They put a total ban on hand luggage for months afterwards, and only now are they letting you take things in carry on...

LONDON, ENGLAND

The Motherland...

After a year of adventures in Canada our visas ran out. Rather devastated and not ready to return home we decided on a change of scenery and flew to London, England.

Living in London is a rite of passage for many young Aussies. A chance to live overseas and explore Europe at the same time. Like many, we headed to London thinking we'd be there a year of so and ended up leaving 5 years later...


We arrived late April 2006, just as summer and the 2006 World Cup was kicking off - brilliant!

London, England

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A new home sweet home...

Because we’d spent a year in Canada living in a van and a ski resort, we were beyond broke when we arrived in London. We also knew no one we could stay with, so we spent the first month in a shared hostel dorm room in Shepherds Bush sorting out jobs and a place to live. We ate dinner between 2pm and 4pm when the hostel had their 2-4-1 meal deal on!


Eventually we chose Clapham in south-west London as our new home. About 15 minutes from the city and right on the edge of Clapham Common. Living with 3 others in a big share house, it would be fun and games and turned out to be one of the best decisions we've ever made. Dane scored work as a PM and I scored an amazing gig with the BBC.

Clapham High Street...

I love this photo. The fun begins in our house in Clapham...

Clapham in all her glory. The view from our loft.

LONDON LIFE...

Despite the sometimes dodgy weather, there is always something on in London. It has an amazing music scene, an even more incredible drinking scene and a colourful history. What we found is that whatever you're interested in, you'll find it in London.

We've had many a crazy night out in London… but here are some of our favourite London to do's:

• Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club - an amazing night of jazz in Soho.
• Gordon's Wine Bar - London's oldest wine bar, it's built underground right near Embankment.
• Royal Ascot Races - held each June, cracker day.
• Pretty much any gig at Brixton's Carling Academy
• Drinks at the Boathouse - Putney.
• Lazy Sundays in Clapham Common.
• Cable wakeboarding near Heathrow.
• Borough Markets - amazing food markets each Saturday morning near London Bridge.
• Shakespeare at the Globe theatre right on the Southbank.
• Spitalfields market - a Sunday market with all sorts of vintage clothing followed by a curry in Brick Lane.
• All you can eat sushi at a tiny place called Hi Sushi in Soho.

Seems to be an eating/drinking trend in there… any other suggestions?

Here are some of our favourite London pics...

Sarah soaks up Clapham Common.

A quintessentially English scene - cricket and tea at a graveyard just outside Kew Gardens, Richmond.

Frivolities at the famous Ascot Races...

More frivolities after Ascot... attempting some Michael Jackson moves!

SW4 Festival in Clapham Common...

Dane and I at one of the many fancy dress dress partys...


More Summer goodness in Clapham Common...

D wake boarding near Heathrow.

I love this photo. It perfectly captures Summer in London.

Got any other London suggestions?

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